#lemons in arrowdenn LOL

[ohsnapitzlovehacker]

The Hunter and the Dragon Rider, Part 2 - Colt x MC (AU)

Author’s note: Sorry, this was supposed to be a fun endeavor, instead y’all are getting more plot than you we probably bargained for. This took a COMPLETELY different turn than what I thought. My Muse is a cruel woman, that one. 

Reader’s note:

Dragons?? Dragons  |  Previous part here. 

Rating: NSFW. (Again. Set your expectations low so I don’t disappoint you.) 

Word Count: ~3.8K 

Colt was a good lover in the basic, biological sense, and that’s what Izzy had trouble convincing herself with as her clandestine rendezvous continued with him for the next week, bleeding into a second one. Whisper had even started regarding her suspiciously, as her human smelled different every time she arrived to take her riding. Izzy felt silly confiding this in her dragon, especially since the thing with Colt had snowballed. “You’re certainly smiley these days,” Riya observed as their dragons tussled in the distance. There wasn’t enough room on the island for roughhousing given their adult sizes, and neither human was in a flying mood. Mouse, Riya’s cleverly named dragon, tackled Whisper to the ground, emitting a high-pitched scree noise that was most definitely laughter.

Izzy rolled her eyes, but she thought of Colt making fun of her for doing just that, and her cheeks warmed from the mere thought of him. Riya’s eyes grew to the size of saucers and she let out a squeal to rival her dragon. In fact, the two beasts turned around to check on the girls. “Izabel, Daughter of Arrowdenn, if you don’t tell me what the heck is going on!” She grabbed Izzy by the shoulders and Izzy grimaced at the motion and the use of her title. Technically, all Seevens were children of Arrowdenn, but as Izzy’s father was an elder, she received a title just like him. Elder roles were passed on by blood, and in the event an elder had no direct line, the council selected someone to take the resigning or deceased elder’s place. One day she would sit as an elder, and while the thought secretly thrilled her, she didn’t like the formalities that came with calling her a Daughter. Riya was the only one of her peers who didn’t use the title with derision.  

“When I become elder, I hope you don’t plan to shake counsel and guidance from me,” Izzy teased, but her friend wouldn’t be deterred. Riya’s smile turned coy and she crossed her arms. “It wouldn’t happen to be that dragon hunger you’ve been sneaking off with, would it?” Izzy froze, knowing it was the absolute wrong reaction to have but powerless to act in any other manner. 

“W...what?” she said stupidly and Riya laughed, full and long. “Oh gods, I knew it!” Izzy had given herself away. “Riya!” Her friend clapped her hands together excitedly. “Who is he? Tell me all about your paramour or I’ll make Whisper draw him out.” 

It was an empty threat, as Whisper would only respond to such orders from Izzy herself, but Riya was resourceful enough to find out what she wanted. Izzy found it best to keep her childhood friend on her side. Mostly. 

“Us common folk talk and I’m sure you’re not as secret as you think you are, Izzy,” Riya winked, and Izzy had the vague sense that she was being baited. Maybe Riya already knew and finally had an opportunity to tease her about the needs of her loins. “I’m common too,” Izzy said instead, trying to steer the conversation away from Colt. Riya gave her a serious look, though it wasn’t unkind. “You, my friend are far from common.” Before Izzy could puzzle out that particular statement, Whisper let out a warbled cry like she’d been injured. Mouse looked on, stressed and helpless as Whisper thrashed.

“WHISPER!” Riya and Izzy jumped up, but Riya pulled her friend back, lest she get trampled. “Izzy, stay back!” But Izzy pushed her aside, running to her dragon. Whisper let out another pained cry, this time blowing a stream of blue-hot fire up above before falling into a dejected heap. Before Izzy could calm her down, the dragon was up again, its powerful wings beating, tossing up ground and dust in its wake. Whisper took off, leaving Mouse, Izzy, and Riya behind. 

Riya wasted no time. Jabbing her pinkies in her mouth, she released a shrill whistle and grabbed Izzy. “Come on! We can still catch up to her!” Izzy climbed on Mouse, right behind Riya, and both girls held onto the stirrups as Mouse shot up in the air. “She’s...going back to the village?” Riya asked as she and Izzy craned their necks to follow Whisper’s movements. She was a graceful, beautiful dragon, raised from the egg of her late mother’s Lightning Horne, and Izzy had bonded with her immediately. What had caused the dragon to act so strangely? “Riya, hurry!” Izzy yelled to be heard above the whipping wind, and her stomach traveled up to her throat as Mouse soared, gaining speed on the runaway dragon. It wasn’t a pleasant sight that greeted Izzy when she and Riya returned to Arrowdenn. Down below, a huge crowd had gathered, and in the circle was a dead Lightning Horne. But not just any Lightning Horne. 

Whisper’s cry turned haunting, and it was if all the dragons of the village were in mourning for her and her mother. The dragon that had bonded to Izzy’s mother. Izzy choked back a wet gasp and even Riya‘s eyes filled with unshed tears. 

** **

Teppei had given the Menar one sole rule: do not slay a dragon on Arrowdenn soil. A year and two weeks later, Salazar had to be the idiot. Granted, he’d probably been provoked, but Colt had warned his father of the possibility. “If he does, that will be his last mistake,” Teppei had simply said, but his tone conveyed the threat behind his words, and Colt ignored the shiver down his spine. 

“It was self-defense!” Salazar yelled to the enraged Seeven. He turned to some of the Menar in the crowd, but all remained silent; some judged him with smug smiles, others seemed pacified that the hunter would finally get what he deserved. “It fucking attacked me first! I didn’t do shit!” Salazar’s tirade continued as he was dragged off, spittle flying from his lips. Two of the elders appeared, one with long, braided gray hair and a dragon tooth necklace, the other with a long scar against his dark cheek. A low whistle sounded in his ear, but Colt knew who it was before she stood next to him. 

“Idiotic bastard,” Mona spat, her dark eyes hardly concealing the fury that swirled in their depths. “Easy now, I wanna see what the riders do first.” Colt grinned, and Mona turned her stormy gaze on him. Mona had left everything and everyone she loved behind to be with a dragon hunter. She lost her lover to a Dragon King and now Mona lived as a Menar, nursing old wounds and hiding past hurts. 

Colt knew the basics of her story and still preferred to needle her. It entertained him to no end, but it also gave Mona somewhere to direct her anger when it flared. Toby had been the one to point it out, concluding that even Colt’s swagger had its limits. Or that he cared more than he wanted his friends to believe. Colt only rolled his eyes; he wouldn’t stick his neck out for just anyone, no matter what Toby thought.

Salazar was taken away, a Singer Serpent ensuring he stayed in line. Just as Colt was about to join the other Menar in leaving the riders to mourn their pet and ignore their accusatory expressions, everyone’s attention turned to the commotion in the skies. A Lightning Horne dove into the crowd, leaving only a second for the crowd to duck down. Colt recognized Izzy’s pet instantly, the scar on its wing where he’d manage to nick her over a year ago. The dragon let out what could only be an excruciating cry, and Colt quickly jabbed two fingers in his ear. Not long after, a second Lightning Horne, this time with riders, swiftly landed, its great wings causing a windstorm. 

“Mouse! Stop that!” someone yelled, and Colt saw one of the riders run towards him. “Whisper!” Izzy screamed, snot and tears streaming down her face as she shoved Colt and anyone else in her way aside to get to the dead dragon. Something lurched in Colt’s chest as he took in the anguish on Izzy’s face. The sudden grating noise of Lightning Hornes across the village went unheard by Colt. He couldn’t bring himself to look away from the girl who’d been smiling up at him the night before. 

The scarred elder held back tears as he pulled a sobbing Izzy into his chest. Whisper nuzzled her long face into the side of the dead dragon, but unlike Izzy, she wouldn’t get the same comfort. 

** **

Arrowdenn wasn’t the only dragon rider village in the region, but it was one of the biggest. That was the only thing that made sense to Colt in the year the Menar had spent in Seeven company. “You’ve kept me in the dark long enough, Pop,” Colt said as he entered the tent to find a woman leaving. She avoided his critical eyes as she scurried off, and Colt looked questioningly at his father. “And yet you’ve attracted the elder’s child. I do not ask who’s warming your bed,” Teppei began, but Colt hurried to stop him. 

“Oh, for the love of gods, I’m talking about our business on Arrowdenn!” Colt gave his father an exasperated look. But Teppei only gestured for Colt to sit before looking to the tent’s entrance. “If you think our time spent here has been idle, you are as ignorant as Salazar,” Teppei clipped out, and Colt gritted his teeth at the offense. 

“I don’t know what to think! That’s the whole reason I’m—” Colt’s whispered tirade was cut short when the tent flap opened and the elder with the dragon tooth necklace stepped inside. What was he doing here? 

“...Pop?” 

Colt and the elder eyed each other warily. “Whatever you say to me, you say to us both, Nars,” Kaneko spoke again, and this time he looked at Colt. Nars seemed to contemplate something, spotty eyebrows knitted for a moment before they relaxed. He took a seat across from Colt and his father, legs cross and expression grave. When he spoke, his voice was feminine and musical, so at odds with his appearance, that Colt was thrown for a loop. However, Colt kept these thoughts from reflecting on his own features as he gave Nars his undivided attention. 

“The others are growing suspicious of me,” Nars barked, a contained fury in his tone. “If you are going to act, your time is shrinking.” 

“To do what?” Colt snapped, directing his annoyance at Teppei. “We were not put on this earth to befriend dragons,” Nars continued as if Colt hadn’t spoken. “I have watched my people grow complacent in their ways, forgetting our history! What are great, dangerous beasts if not to be slain and conquered?”

Teppei sat silently, never betraying how he felt, but Colt knew. Colt had always known. A Dragon King had killed his grandfather when he was three. The same age he’d last seen his mother. Colt used to wonder if the two incidents were related, but once his training with his father began and he’d gutted his first dragon, there wasn’t much room left for any thoughts that didn’t concern the Menar’s next home or their next conquest. Colt could hardly recall his mom now, but it was a sore subject for his Teppei. It was why Colt hadn’t understood why his father sought out Arrowdenn specifically or gone so far as to promise to protect the island from Dragon Kings in exchange for food, supplies, and shelter. Colt had been floored when the elder council agreed, but looking at Nars, Colt realized there was more than met the eye. 

“They grow suspicious of you because in your impatience, you’ve tipped them off.” 

Teppei tossed a small pouch to Nars, who caught it in one hand. The elder inspected the pouch before loosening the strings to inspect the contents. “...It’s dragon feed. What we give to the offspring,” Nars frowned and Colt leaned over to peer inside. Sure enough, half the bag contained reddish tinted fish grain, not unlike what Colt had watched Izzy carry around. 

“You’ve seen how effective it is.” Nars and Colt gave Teppei blank stares.

“I’m sorry?”

“It makes the beasts irritable, attacks the senses, and discolors the pupils. And while it attacks, it bleeds to death.” Nars gasped at the same time the pieces snapped together in Colt’s head.  “The only problem is how long the takes poison to permeate the body. The larger the dragon...” Teppei let the unfinished statement hang in the air as he shrugged. “Elder Michael’s Lightning Horne...” Nars whispered reverently. 

Salazar’s insistence that it has been self-defense had been brushed off by Menar and Seeven alike, but what if he hadn’t provoked the dragon? Colt’s eyes slid over to his father, surprised when he returned the glance, his question promptly answered. “Cocoa in its raw form is bitter to humans, and deadly to the winged beasts.”

“But cocoa pods don’t grow on Arrowdenn,” Nars spoke. Teppei smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “No, they don’t.” 

** ** ** 

After fleeing from the assembled elder council, Izzy found him alone in his tent, needing the comfort that wasn’t her father, her best friend, or her dragon. Whisper was still despondent though, and Izzy didn’t blame her. Most of her meetings with Colt happened at twilight, or just before dawn broke, so Izzy knew wouldn’t be expecting her at this hour. He probably hadn’t expected her at all, considering the fact she’d ignored him over the last few days. A few of the Seevens had followed Izzy’s manner, refusing to have anything to do with the Menar. Only the elders remained impartial, but Colt knew better than to take it for face value.

Izzy watched as Colt turned over on his cot and did a double-take. She was dressed in her usual leathers—dyed black—her hair pulled into a complicated updo and her eyes lined with kohl. Dragon or human, Arrowdenn mourned the dead in the same way, but the loss of a dragon in such a violent manner hadn’t happened for generations. “Walk with me?” Izzy asked, and left the tent to wait outside. 

She could feel the stares on all sides from the Menar who loitered by their lodging, but her grief made it hard to care. “No sneaking around today?” Colt teased when he emerged, and Izzy gave him a wry smile. She began a brisk pace, not bothering to let him catch up.

“Colt, I think I like you better when you’re not talking.”

“Funny, I like you best when you can’t stop,” Colt smirked, effectively turning Izzy’s cheeks red. She stumbled over a twig, but Colt steadied her before she could go tumbling. “Are you saying I’m a chatterbox?” Izzy demanded hotly, pulling away from Colt. “It’s cute when you mumble under your breath, but I still catch every...dirty...word...” Colt’s low voice had turned sultry and Izzy was in danger of tripping over mere air, the same air she desperately needed in her lungs. They walked side by side, arms touching, yet Izzy couldn’t help wishing they were closer. 

The setting sun turned the sky a brilliant pinkish-orange, but Izzy knew Colt could care less for about the heavens. Still, she opened her mouth to comment on its beauty when she realized Colt was staring at her. “What?” Izzy asked as he studied her features intently. She felt subconscious about her appearance, thankful she hadn’t added a crimson to her mouth. “If you lined your top lip, you’d look just like a fierce Menar right before battle.” Izzy blinked. Then her confusion cleared, and she gave a small smile.

“You bother with a kohl brush before going off to fight a Dragon King?”

“I don’t. Never saw the use.” Colt traced her lips with his thumb, parting the flesh. He leaned down, replacing his thumb with his own lips. They’d traveled just far enough outside the village outskirts to be alone, but if anyone was looking for Izzy, she’d easily be found. She didn’t want to be found, not for a while. Izzy hadn’t had a destination in mind when she approached Colt, but now she did. “Come on,” she giggled, tugging Colt’s hand and taking off in a run. Colt gamely followed, easily keeping pace.

“Where the hell are you taking me, Izz?”

”It’s a secret!” 

The two ran uphill, Izzy soon out of breath once they reached the top. Colt’s breath was annoyingly just fine. “Ta...dah,” Izzy panted, throwing her arms up to show off her surroundings. She watched Colt take in the miles of the ancient field, green overgrowth covering what used to be a castle. Once her heart stopped its attempts to leap from her chest, Izzy tried speech. “Back when Arrowdenn was called Velda, this is where the ruining queen lived with her prince consort.” Izzy’s mother had taken her to the castle ruins on the back of her Lightning Horne, Blaze. “Great ballads were written on her beauty, her biting wit. And then one day a horde of Dragon Kings came and set the kingdom ablaze.” 

Colt’s scanning eyes rested on Izzy, but she couldn’t read his expression. Did he know this tale? “The prince was among the few survivors, but the queen didn’t make it. The survivors took it as a sign that they had angered the sun gods, and all winged beasts that spewed fire, or hail, or lightning were deemed abominations. So, they were hunted and killed.” Izzy didn’t know why retelling this story was so important until she was searching Colt’s eyes, uncertain what she was looking for. “There are people in Arrowdenn who still cling to the old ways of thinking even now.” Izzy’s thoughts strayed to Nars. Even if she didn’t have definitive proof, Whisper’s unease around the elder was enough to insinuate that something was amiss. 

“I may not completely understand your...bond with your dragons, but people have warred over more insane ideologies,” Colt responded. Izzy wasn’t at ease with his words. And yet...she knew what she had with Colt wasn’t a forever thing. It never was supposed to be, she realized. Blaze had been the last tangible presence of her mom, and now they both were gone. Eventually, Colt would be gone too. Not from the earth, but from her life just the same. Suddenly the weight of everything slammed into her chest, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. 

Colt pulled her into him instantaneous, and the shock of the gesture was enough to stifle her tears. She stood motionless for a moment, then wrapped her arms around Colt’s neck, breathing him in, determined to commit his every touch to memory. He pulled away too soon, and this time, he was smiling that stupid, shit-eating grinning she’d come to expect. Maybe even love.  

It was dark when Izzy and Colt returned to his tent, and Izzy pressed a chaste kissed to his lips in parting. 

“What, no sleepover?” 

“Not tonight. I...need to get my head straight.” Colt smirked. “And I can’t help with that?” Izzy held back a laugh as he pushed a stray curl behind her ear. Izzy pressed a kiss to the heel of his hand.

“Good night, Colt.” His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her flush to him as he kissed her forehead in return before releasing her. 

“‘Night, Dragon Rider.” 

Her father was nowhere to be found when Izzy stepped over the threshold of her home, and Izzy knew he’d gone for a night ride. If Whisper weren’t so mopey, Izzy would have followed suit. Instead, her skin prickled with anticipation of what she planned to do. She got up to close the door, ensuring the double lock was secure, testing it. Then she settled on the bed. Eyes shut, she brought the image of Colt to mind. She imagined her hands tracing the outline of his jaw, the way her thumb would dip into his mouth. The simple sucking motion combined with his smoldering dark eyes would cause her knees to shake.

“I’m just getting started.”

Izzy gasped into the darkness, eyes still closed, surrendering herself to the fantasy. She groaned in frustration when her mind’s eye conjured the sensation of Colt gripping her ass while her fingers tiptoed up and down his chest. Her mouth knew the contours and planes of his torso well and she smirked, imagining it slick with sweat and the salty-sweet taste. 

Izzy didn’t bother removing her thin slip or her undergarments as she slipped a hand down beneath the waistband, chasing her wet pulse. She imagined her soft hands were Colt’s calloused fingertips as she traced the outline of her pussy lips, slick with her need. She imagined Colt’s touch retreating, him bringing his fingers to his mouth, sucking off her juices and then plunging back in for more. His tongue would join the dance, jaw slightly unhinged while he worked her clit, giving special attention to her breasts. She could feel him palm the right mound, then the left, her nipples hardening against her thin slip as fantasy Colt continued his ministrations.  

She was panting now, a whine escaping her lips. Izzy imagined all this as she made do with her impatient fingers, spreading her legs wider, seeing Colt’s face buried in between her thighs, his breath hot. “Colt!” Izzy cried into the stillness, her movements at odds with the otherwise peaceful night. As Izzy dripped onto her fingertips, fantasy Colt lapped up each drop, his lips glistening with her cum. 

Rubbing her her clit in tight circles, she thrust two fingers into her soaked center, trying to estimate Colt’s girth and satisfy her body’s deep ache. She slipped in a third finger, but that wasn’t quite right either and she imagined Colt’s laughing at her antics, rich and gravely and deep and pleasant to her ears. She wanted to bottle that up that laugh. 

In the present, Izzy spread her fingers just slightly, unprepared for the moment her hips shot up and her back arched. “Yes, yes!” Izzy groaned, imagining it was Colt slamming into her over and over. Izzy spread her legs further, alternating between thrusts and circling her clit with rough movements, since Colt was never gentle with her. Love marks above the neck were difficult to hide, but that didn’t stop Colt from making marks in other places. Izzy still had discolored bruises at the junction of her waist and thighs, thick and shapely where Colt was rigid lines. His fascination with her softness eased any securities she carried about her naked body. 

Izzy’s head fell back of its own volition, her movements going slack as she shuddered, and came with a violent shake, Colt’s name on her lips. Sweaty and spent, Izzy listened to her breathing still and racing heart relax, but sleep didn’t find her. In her attempt to separate herself from him and save herself from inevitable heartbreak, she still desperately wanted him, not the incomplete pieces she’d conjured up herself.